AUCKLAND AS A NAVAL BASE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3796, 5 April 1913, Page 8

AUCKLAND AS A NAVAL BASE.

AVHAT IS BEING DONE. INTERVIEW WITH HARBOR BOARD) CHAIRMAN. [PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.]' AUCKLAND, April 4. Tho adverso criticism of Auckland as a naval base which has been cabled to Now Zealand as the opinion of the Alelbourne correspondent of the Sydney “Sun,” was brought under tho notice of Air J. H. Gun son (chairman of the Harbor Board) by a “Star” reporter this morning. “In the first place,” said Air Gunson, “the Auckland naval base is well equipped with .machinery and plant installed and fitted to Admiralty plans in connection with the existing agreement with the Harbor Board under which the Admiralty pays the Board the sum of £SOOO per annum. The wharf accommodation at the Calliope Dock jetty is quite sufficient for the requirements of the largest warships. Tho Dreadnought Now Zealand, which is about to pay a visit to these waters, could quite easily berth there, the depth of water being over 33ft at the lowest tide.

“Already,” Air Gunson went on to explain, “plans for further improvements have been submitted to the Admiralty and the statement that no •measures have been taken to prepare Auckland Harbor for the powerful navy contemplated’ for New Zealand waters by the naval conferences of 1909 and" 1911 is totally incorrect. That nothing further has been done is not the fault of the Harbor Board, as proposals have already been laid before the Admiralty, and even quite recently farther communications have passed. In this matter the Board, quite properly, conducts its negotiations through the Government, which has been fully advised of the position, and fully realises the readines of the Harbor Board to co-operate in any steps that may he considered advisable. Tho present Calliope dock, which was built 25 years ago, is, of course, too small for modern warship requirements, hut the Harbor Board is even now prepared with an excellent site for a new Dreadnought dock on the southern shore of the harbor off the Alechanics’ Bay reclamation. Here, there is an admirable rock foundation and an area of about 800 ft by 90ft will be available. The Board .is quite prepared to consider this scheme at any time it is approached by the authorities.” Obviously (Air Gunson points out) the Auckland Harbor Board cannot he expected to equip a naval base on its own initiative, but it is ready to act at any time the Government and the Admiralty see fit to bring the matter forward.”

Colonel A\ r . 11. S. Patterson, Coast Defence Commander of the Auckland military district, when approached regarding the Australian criticism, said that he-looked upon the aspersions of Auckland Harbor more as the individual opinion of one ill-informed critic than as an indication of Australian feeling towards us. “So far as Auckland harbor is concerned.” he said, “it lias greater potentialities as an efficient naval base than Sydney harbor has.”

He also pointed out that Auckland could hardly be expected to equip the harbor as a naval base before authoritative representations were, made on tho subject. Tho outlook regarding naval matters in the Pacific had altered so much during the past two years that Australians (he suggested) were now beginning to feel that their earlier proposals had been somewhat hasty and ill-ad.visetf.